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Increased Stimulatory Capacity of Spleen Cells from Adult Thymectomized Mice in Mixed Lymphocyte Reactions
Author(s) -
VIALLAT J. R.,
CARNAUD C.,
BACH J. F.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1977.tb00360.x
Subject(s) - mixed lymphocyte reaction , spleen , thymectomy , immunology , lymphocyte , stimulation , biology , suppressor , t lymphocyte , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , t cell , immune system , endocrinology , biochemistry , myasthenia gravis , gene
Conflicting results have been reported concerning the effect of adult thymectomy (A‐Tx) on the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) response. Our purpose was to test the reverse question, namely the effect of A‐Tx on the stimulatory capacity of mouse lymphocytes carrying alleic disparities at the Mls and the H‐2 loci. Spleen cells from A‐Tx CBA donors were found to be significantly more stimulating than cells from normal donors. That A‐Tx could eliminate suppressor T cells involved in MLR regulation or in preventing back stimulation is not likely according to our data. An increment in expression or in accessibility of Mls or H‐2 antigenic determinats induced by A‐Tx is no more likely, since a similar increase in lymphocyte proliferation was observed in syngeneic cultures. The most probable explanation remains that A‐Tx discloses a strongly stimulatory subpopulation, perhaps acting in part nonspecifically. The hypothesis of an enrichment in B cells versus a loss of T cells is not compatible with our findings, since B‐cell‐enriched fractions from various origins never attained the Stimulating ability disclosed by A‐Tx cells. Moreover, the cell involved is theta‐positive, although slightly nylon‐woot‐adherent, and thus shares several properties with immature T cells involved in auto‐rosette formation.